Texas lawmaker preparing bill proposing a later start date to the school year: 'Doesn't make sense'

Students across Texas have returned to school as triple-digit heat descends on the state, but a lawmaker has proposed a bill that could change that.

Texas State Representative James Patterson of Denton County said he is proposing legislation to move the official school start date to September, after Labor Day weekend. Patterson argues that there is a safety issue regarding the heat the month of August brings.

"It doesn't make sense for our economy; it doesn't make sense for our students and teachers; it doesn't make sense for the grid. This is one of the dumbest things we do as a state to start in the middle of the hottest month," Patterson said.

Patterson calls the bill the "Save Our Summer Act." With the offer to start the school year later, the school would end regulated instruction by late May or early June.

According to state officials, the Texas school calendar has been a "tug-of-war" for the last four decades.

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Southern Methodist University professor Watt Black said there are definite trade-offs, but there is a question about the school's calendar being under local control.

"They have no leeway over when they take their state test, and so they want to front-load their instructional days and get as much instructional time as they can," Black said.

Patterson says he has received bipartisan support behind the legislation and will face his opponent, Democrat Joe Mays, on the matter. Mays said he is open to the conversation, but says it is not a "day one priority."

Mays says the bill seems like a distraction from different issues such as data centers and appropriate school funding.

Records show that Patterson filed a similar bill two years ago, but it didn't make it out of the public education committee.

CNN contributed to this report.